Shopping for a laptop can be stressful \u2014 doubly stressful if you or your children will be learning online for the first time. Kids of different ages have a range of different laptop use cases and different needs. And as the choices for best laptop<\/a> and best Chromebook<\/a> evolve, so do students\u2019 needs. So I spoke to some experts on the subject: students themselves.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n My recommendations here are meant to accommodate a variety of preferences and price ranges. But they\u2019re a jumping-off point rather than an exhaustive list: every student is different. Before making a decision, you\u2019ll want to make sure you read reviews and try out devices yourself if you can. I\u2019ll do my best to keep this article up to date with items that are in stock.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n For younger students, a touchscreen device is easier to use than a keyboard and touchpad, says Michelle Glogovac. Glogovac\u2019s five-year-old son uses an iPad for Webex meetings with his kindergarten class. He\u2019s gotten the hang of it; Glogovac says he\u2019s already learned how to mute and unmute himself, \u201ca skill that many adults aren\u2019t familiar with.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n That said, it may be worth investing in a keyboard case if you go the tablet route. Glogovac has to type her son\u2019s meeting codes and passwords for him, which can be cumbersome on the iPad\u2019s flat screen.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n As kids get older, their best laptop choice will vary depending on their needs. As a parent, it\u2019s important that you and your child are in sync about how they intend to use it and the size of the programs they want.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Kristin Wallace purchased a budget HP laptop for her daughter, Bella, but didn\u2019t realize how quickly the nine-year-old would fill up 32GB of storage. \u201cIt is really slow and has no space for games. I need a computer with more storage space,\u201d said Bella, who uses the laptop to Zoom with friends and take virtual guitar lessons and math enrichment classes. Wallace plans to buy Bella a better device in the next few weeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Audio quality is an important consideration for kids\u2019 laptops. Lisa Mitchell, an elementary library media specialist, says her students use their devices to watch YouTube videos in addition to their online classes. Battery life is also a plus, even for distance learners who may not be far from a wall outlet. Bella likes to use her laptop all around the house and doesn\u2019t want to bring the cord with her.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Durability is also worth paying for, according to Mitchell. If you\u2019re using a tablet, get a protective case. \u201cIf a reasonably-priced insurance or replacement policy is available, it\u2019s usually worth the extra expense.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The middle school students I spoke to don\u2019t use their laptops for much more than web-based schoolwork and browsing. Don\u2019t be too concerned about power \u2014 prioritize a machine that\u2019s comfortable and easy for your child to use.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWe just got the most basic Chromebook and it is totally perfect,\u201d says Gabrielle Hartley, an attorney<\/a> and mother of three children. \u201cThe most basic Chromebook serves all the needs of the basic middle schooler.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Hartley\u2019s son Max, who is in eighth grade, agrees. \u201cI would really like a gaming PC or gaming laptop that can plug into a monitor and run video games with 120fps, but I really don\u2019t need that,\u201d Max says. \u201cMost eighth graders aren\u2019t going to be running any video games on their laptops or any software that requires a lot of power.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Max mostly uses his laptop for Google Classroom applications, including Gmail, Slides, Google Docs, and Google Sheets. They\u2019re very easy to use on his device, which he describes as \u201ca run-of-the-mill Samsung Chromebook.\u201d That said, if your child is starting middle school this year, it could be worth checking with their teachers to see what operating system is most compatible with their workflow. Caspian Fischer Od\u00e9n, a ninth grader from Sweden, told me he has trouble with his Chromebook because his school has blocked downloading apps from the Google Play Store.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Even kids with more demanding hobbies think a budget device can get the job done. Sam Hickman, an eighth grader from the UK who uses his laptop for photo and video editing, says, \u201cFor most middle schoolers, any processor developed within the last two years will be able to handle any tasks they can throw at it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n So, what is <\/em>worth paying for? A comfortable keyboard, several students told me. Many middle school kids aren\u2019t used to typing for long periods of time. You should also look for a device that\u2019s compact and easy for them to carry around, particularly if they\u2019re preparing for in-person school. Shoot for an 11- to 13-inch model \u2014 certainly nothing larger than 15 inches.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n High schoolers\u2019 laptop needs can vary based on their interests, but most don\u2019t need powerful machines with lots of bells and whistles \u2014 especially if they come with glitches or serious downsides that could interfere with schoolwork. Miles Riehle, a student at Laguna Beach High School, has a high-end Surface Pro 7 but finds it overwhelming. \u201cThere is so much other stuff that I don\u2019t use very often,\u201d he said. \u201cSomething simpler might be a little more straightforward.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The best operating system may depend on what your child is used to. Aryan Nambiar, a student at Barrington High School in Illinois, has an iMac at home and enjoys using an iPad for his schoolwork. Riehle says he would prefer a Chromebook because he has an Android phone and often uses Google services.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n But almost every student I spoke to agreed that the most important feature of a high school laptop is portability. Kids attending in-person classes may be carrying their device around for much of the day with a stack of other books. Look for a 13- or 14-inch screen, or a lighter 15- to 17-inch model.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Students also recommend something sturdy. \u201cMost high schoolers I\u2019ve seen will throw their laptop in their bag without too much care,\u201d says Moses Buckwalter, a student at Penn Manor High School. Backpacks can be jostled in the hallway as well. Kids can also run into trouble at home. \u201cAnything can happen,\u201d says Aadit Agrawal, a high school student from India. \u201cMy own brother scratched my laptop with his nails.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Battery life is another key feature. \u201cIt can be a real struggle to find a place to charge while in class,\u201d says Cas Heemskerk, a sophomore from the Netherlands. Unlike college students, many high schoolers don\u2019t have frequent breaks to juice up their devices, so try to find something that can last a full day.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Many students recommend a touchscreen with stylus support. Nambiar uses the feature for his biology class, where he does a lot of visual modeling. \u201cThe touchscreen is always a bonus for drawing diagrams, whereas if you\u2019re using a laptop it\u2019d be a whole process to submit a diagram you drew,\u201d Nambiar says. Riehle uses a Surface Pen to fill out school forms and annotate PDFs. Agrawal finds it useful to take notes on the same screen as his online lessons.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Depending on the broadband situation in your area, you may also want a laptop with multiple connectivity options. Agrawal\u2019s online classes are sometimes interrupted by powercuts, so he recommends an LTE model. Matej Plavevski, a junior at Yahya Kemal College in North Macedonia, recommends looking for an Ethernet port in case slower connections disrupt meetings. That\u2019s hard to find on smaller laptops, but there\u2019s a slew of affordable dongles and docks to consider.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n College kids are justified in spending a bit more money than other age groups. Some (especially in STEM courses) can expect to do some fairly demanding work. Assad Abid, an electrical engineering undergrad from Pakistan, needs to run simulation software for his assignments. Aakash Chandra, a student at New Horizon College of Engineering in India, does a lot of coding, in addition to creative work in Premiere Pro and Photoshop, and gaming. Students also noted that it\u2019s worthwhile to pay for a laptop that will last for a few years after graduation. That means you won\u2019t have to worry about finding and financing your next device until you\u2019re (hopefully) settled into a job.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n But among high-end, capable devices there\u2019s still a wide range of options. Students stressed that a college laptop should be light. Expect to bring it between classes, meals, meetings, the library, and other locations on campus. \u201cIt\u2019s a boon that I can carry my laptop as well as some notebooks without feeling like I\u2019m carrying too much for six hours a day,\u201d says Haseeb Waseem, a senior at Villanova University.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Another universally-lauded feature: battery life. Waseem, who uses an HP Spectre, says the all-day juice gives him \u201cthe flexibility to study in a bunch of different locations, and even outside.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Speakers and webcams are often overlooked, even in top-end devices. But students say it\u2019s worth looking for good ones if you\u2019re starting college this year. Though many college students are now back to in-person classes, some will still be meeting with clubs and attending events online. Waseem isn\u2019t satisfied with his laptop\u2019s audio and picture quality, which he says has made it difficult to pay attention in class and to engage with other students.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Many students will need to invest more in areas tailored to their interests and schoolwork needs. Chandra\u2019s dream laptop would include a stylus and touchscreen for his creative work as well as a high-end GPU. Waseem, who uses his laptop for a hodgepodge of activities, including streaming, coding, social media, video chatting, and Microsoft Office work, would prefer to prioritize a large screen to keep track of his multitasking.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\nBest laptop for students<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
Best laptop for elementary school<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Best laptop for middle school<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Best laptop for high school<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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Best laptop for college <\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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